Rail-joint.



I. L. EDWARDS.

RAIL JOINT.

- APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1909.

1,031,330. Patented July 2, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC L. EDWARDS, F AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-FIFTHS TO MILTOND. JONES AND TWO-FIF'IHS TO FRANK M. PRICE, BOTH OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

BAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Appiication filed July 8, 1908.

y a full, clear, and exact description thereof,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which the figure isa perspective view of a rail-joint embodying my invention.

The object of my invention has been to provide a rail joint which shalleffectively support the ends of the rails, and prevent their springingdownward under the pressure of the wheels of a passing train, and tosuch ends my invention consists in the rail joint hereinafter specified.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a bed plate A which isadapted to be supported upon the ties B, and itself to support the railsC. Side plates D are secured to the web of the rails by bolts F, theside plates preferably fitting close up under the tread of the rail. Thebed plate is provided with two shoulders a on each side of the rails,and each side plate is provided with shoulders cl which fit closelybetween the shoulders a. The bed plate is also preferably provided withflanges a along its central portion, which are adapted to fitintorecesses d on the side plates to prevent lateral movement of theside plates. Lugs a are also formed on the bed plate to confine the sideplates cl laterally.

When weight is placed upon the free ends of the rails, 1t causespressure upon the central portion of the upper edges of the side platesD, and tends to bend the side plates downward. In order, however, thatsuch side plates may so bend, it is necessary to elongate or stretch theportion between the This, howshoulders a of the base plate. ever, cannottake place, owing to the fact that the said portion of the side plates Dis confined between the shoulders at, which being connected by thestraight base plate cannot be forced apart without first rupturing thebase plate. The bending of the side plates is, therefore, prevented. Theaction of my rail joint is much the same as that of a bridge truss,consisting of two struts connected by a tie rod, each side plate Dcorresponding to a strut, and the base plate corresponding to the tierod.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In a rail joint, the combination of a base plate having two pairs ofopposing shoulders a, side plates, each of which is adapted to bearagainst a pair of said opposing shoulders at, and to be secured to therail in an upwardly extending position, said base plate being providedon each side with a centrally located flange a that extends above theplane of the base plate, said flange fitting a recess in the side edgeof the side plate, and the side plate extending continuously from theflange to each of the two shoulders a of a pair, and lugs on the baseplate overhanging the side plates.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

ISAAC L. EDWARDS.

Witnesses EDWIN J. PRINDLE, JOSEPHINE L. LAWLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

